


Tales in the Flower

by theimpossiblepossiblegirl



Series: 52 Short Stories in 52 Weeks [17]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who (TV Movie 1996)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-04 08:38:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6650650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theimpossiblepossiblegirl/pseuds/theimpossiblepossiblegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Rose Tyler moves to London to start over, she never thought she would meet someone like Nathaniel. When he ends things with her after three years together, she tries to move on, only to realize he was the one. Can they work together to fix their relationship?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Flowers of the Luck

**Author's Note:**

> Week Seventeen: A story set in a country you’ve never been to
> 
>  
> 
> This was supposed to be a short story, oh plot bunnies

London. Rose stepped out of the bus and let out the small breath she had been holding. When she made the decision to move into central London four years ago, Rose wasn’t sure if she would be able to make it her new home. The fresh start had been welcomed after her relationship with Mickey had ended badly. Her mum had wanted the two of them to get married, but at that time, Rose did not want to get married. Mickey had been upset and they fought and ultimately it was Rose that had ended things. To say Jackie had been upset, would be an understatement.

“You won’t find better than Mickey.” Jackie had commented, several times.

It was those words that drove Rose from Cardiff to London. Even though her hometown was three hours away, she hasn’t returned, not once in four years. She barely spoke to her mum anymore, only calling on birthdays and holidays. The calls never lasted long as every time Rose called, Jackie mentioned Mickey. Even though he was married now to someone else, Jackie held out the hope that Rose would come back home and get back with Mickey.

Rose had cleared the air with Mickey a few months after she had settled down in London. While they were no longer friends, they would be cordial to each other, Rose knew, should they ever run into each other. Mickey had been her friend for as long as she could remember and it had pained her to realize they could never go back to that.

As she walked towards Trafalgar Square, Rose thought about all of the things her new life in London brought to her. Three years ago she had met someone that she thought she could spend the rest of her life with, Nathaniel. She finally understood what Mickey had meant by finding the one.

They met through work. She was in charge of the children’s tours and education, while he was the curator of the museum. He had an old soul, was what Rose liked to tell him. She had been smitten with him that when he ended things four weeks ago, she had been crushed. She racked her brain for days trying to figure out what she had done wrong only to come to the conclusion that she was doomed when it came to relationships.

Dating someone you work with does come with its challenges, but they had made it work. There were no rules against the two of them dating and had been upfront about their relationship from the start. Now that things were over, they both made sure to be cordial towards each other whenever they had to work together.

She missed him and part of her hoped he missed her too.

Walking over to one of the waterfalls, she sat down on the edge and let her eyes roam over the people that were gathered in the square. It was her day off and she was still headed to the museum, excited to attend one of the new exhibitions. She had originally planned to go with Nate, but well, plans can change. Deciding to bite the bullet, she stood from her spot and crossed the square over to The National Gallery, her home away from home.

As she walked throughout the museum, Rose took in the different paintings. The last time she had been able to do this was right after she had been hired and needed to know where all of the exhibits were located. Now she knew the museum like the back of her hand.

“That painting is one of the more favorable in the museum.” A voice behind her commented as she stood in front of Bosschaert’s _Flowers in a Glass Vase_.

She would know that voice anywhere. Turning around, she gave him a small smile. “It is gorgeous.”

Nate moved so he was standing next to her as they both studied the painting. Normally he would comment on the artist, or the painting but he knew anything he could spew, Rose would already know. “The colors in the painting are extraordinary.”

“Yeah, they are. His attention to every little details is impeccable.” She added, softly. Turning her head, she studied his profile. He looked exhausted, much as he had when they had first started dating. He had trouble sleeping, that’s what he told her. “I didn’t think you would be here today.”

“I was hoping to run into you.”

“Oh?” She questioned, not bothering to hide her surprise. When he had ended things, she never expected him to purposefully seek her out.

“Might we talk?”

“Can we talk as we look around? I’m not sure when I’ll be able to go around and just look at the new paintings again.”

“Of course. Lead the way.”

As they moved around the room, Nate held back a few steps and watched Rose as she studied the paintings. She looked well, beautiful as always. If he were being honest, he missed her. There was no one to blame but himself for that. When he had looked at his calendar a few days ago, he remembered they had made plans to visit the museum a few weeks after the exhibit had opened. He had planned on surprising her with tickets to the Chelsea flower show.

“Nate?”

Hearing her voice, he pulled himself from his thoughts. She had been the only person to call him Nate, most of his friends and family chose to stick with his given name. It had been a breath of fresh air. “Yes?”

“I asked you what you’re really doing here.”

“I came to apologize.” They were in a relatively private part of the museum and he felt comfortable enough to speak frankly with her. “I know I ended things between us relatively quickly.”

“That’s an understatement, Nate. I thought we were fine. Happy even.”

“We were.”

“Then why did you end things?” She questioned softly, turning her gaze from his to look at another painting. She wasn’t sure if she could hear the truth. “Was it someone else?”

“No. It could never be someone else. I was offered a position at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.”

“In New York?”

“Yes, in New York.”

“When are you leaving?” She whispered, trying to hold back the tears. He obviously didn’t want her to go with him, which hurt even more.

“I’m not. I visited two weeks ago and decided not to go. I’m sorry, Rose.”

“I would have went with you, had you decided to go.”

“I know you would have, Rose. I couldn’t let you.”

“Shouldn’t that have been my decision?”

“Yes, it should have been.” He cleared his throat. “I should have been honest with you from the beginning, about the offer.”

“Yeah, you should have. Instead you ruined us. Did you not want me to go with you, if you went?”

“I would have wanted you to go with me, Rose.” He admitted quietly, turning his head to look at her. “I am sorry I didn’t tell you about it.”

“So you’ve said.” Turning her head, she met his gaze. “Why didn’t you tell me about it, Nate?”

“It took me a while to decide if I wanted to pursue it or not. In the end, I didn’t take the position because I would be too far away from you.”

“It’s too late. You’re already too far from me.” She spoke softly as she moved away from the painting and on to the next one.

It couldn’t be too late. He needed her back in his life. He found himself watching her again. He didn’t move, he just stared at her. Was it really too late?

“What might I do so that you’ll forgive me?” He called across the room. “I’ll do anything, Rose. Anything.”

Rose shook her head softly at him, giving him a sad smile. There wasn’t anything he could do, anything she wanted him to do. If he had been honest with her from the beginning, she may have forgiven him. He had hurt her and in the process, he lost her trust. When he made no move to walk closer to her, Rose took that as her cue to leave. Slipping out of the room, she decided to head back to her flat. She should have told him no when he asked her to talk. It would have been easier this way.

Around eight that night, Rose was pulled from the telly when her doorbell rang. Not many people would stop by this late at night for a chat. Grabbing her phone, she made her way over to the door and looked through the peephole to see who it was. Nathanial. With a sigh, she unlocked the door and yanked it open.

“You never answered my question.” He told her, his expression grim.

“Go back in time.” She retorted. “You ended things with me because you thought you might be leaving. Why end things only to stay?”

“I never wanted things to end.” He blurted out. “You kept asking me what was wrong. I wanted to tell you, Rose. I wanted to share the possibilities with you, but at the last minute I knew I couldn’t take you away from London.”

“The only thing I had worth staying here was you, Nate. Had you asked, I would have moved with you in a heartbeat.” Not wanting to disturb her neighbors, she pulled him into the flat and closed the door behind them.

“New York wasn’t what I thought it would be. I don’t believe I would have been happy there. I would have been happy you were with me.”

“But now we’re both miserable and still in London.” Her expression softened, seeing how miserable he was. “I still love you, you know. Despite it all. I don’t know if I can trust you again.”

“I understand, Rose. Might I earn your trust back?”

“Why did you come find me today?” She needed time to decide if she should let him back into her life.

“It would have been our date day.”

“A few of those have passed since you ended things with me.” She reminded him, the bitterness seeping back into her voice.

“This was one we were both looking forward to, Rose. Not that I don’t look forward to all of our dates, I do.” He amended, giving her a soft smile. “After the museum, I was going to ask you if you wanted to go to the Chelsea flower show. I know you have always wanted to go to that.”

“Yeah, I have.” She confirmed, brushing her fringe from her face. “Why should I give you another chance?”

“I love you, Rose. I am so very lucky that you have me a first chance at all. If you allow me, I will spend the rest of my life making this up to you.”

“You have to promise me no more secrets and that you’ll give me time.”

“I promise, I won’t hide anything from you. You can have all of the time you need.”

Rose nodded her head softly, crossing her arms over her stomach. “Can we still go to the flower show?”

“Yes. I’ve already exchanged the tickets for Saturday. The last day.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled the tickets out and handed them to her. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too, Nate. I’m sorry to cut this short, but I’m a bit knackered and I have to be in early tomorrow.”

“Right, of course. I will see you Saturday then.” He bowed his head and at the last moment, leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Sleep well, my love.” He whispered before taking his leave from her flat.

It took Rose another few minutes to realize he had left. Looking down at the tickets in her hand she smiled wistfully before leaving them on the counter. As she locked up her flat for the night she realized how much she had truly missed Nate. She only hoped that she could trust him again and that he wouldn’t leave her. She also found herself quite looking forward to Saturday.


	2. The Flowers of Good Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate and Rose discuss what went wrong with their relationship as she decides to give him another chance. As they spend more time together, Rose realizes that he's the one while Nate realizes needs to be full honest with her.

Nate called Rose Friday night to confirm their plans for the next day. He hadn’t called her during the week, as much as he had wanted to. He knew he had hurt her, which he regretted. His hope had been renewed when she had agreed to go with him to the flower show even if she wouldn’t see him again after that. Hopefully that wouldn’t be the case.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Rose.”

“Nate, hi.” She hadn’t deleted his number from her phone, either way, she would recognize his number anywhere. After their break up, she had held out, hoping he would call again. But after hearing his explanation, she wasn’t sure if the trust was there. “Everything okay?”

“Yes.” He squeaked out before clearing his throat. “I wanted to call about tomorrow. Would it be okay if I picked you up?”

“I don’t know.” She breathed out, mentally counting to ten. “I thought we could meet there.”

“That’s agreeable. What time did you want to meet?”

“I have to work in the morning. Can we meet at two? I wasn’t sure if you had plans for the rest of the day.”

“My only plans for tomorrow are with you.”

Rose felt a smile taking over her lips. “All right. Then we’ll meet at two, yeah?”

“Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Nate?” She called his name before he could hang up, letting out the breath she had been holding.

“Yes, Rose?”

“I just wanted to say thanks, for talking with me the other day.”

“I owed you as much, Rose.” He admitted quietly. “I do miss you and I am sorry.”

“I know.” She hesitated briefly. “I also don’t want you to give up anything because of me.”

“I didn’t give up New York because of you, if that’s what you believe. Yes, you were part of the reason, but not the entire reason.”

“Did you know you weren’t going to take it when you ended things?” Rose questioned quietly, almost too afraid to ask.

“No. I should have handled this better Rose. I regret not talking to you about it and getting your opinion.”

“I’m sorry that you weren’t happy in New York. I know you would have been amazing over there.”

After everything he put her through, after how he treated her, it amazed him to know how supportive she was. New York had never been his dream. He was fine giving it up. Rose on the other hand, he never wanted to give her up yet he had.

“Thank you.” Nate let out a breath before he chuckled lowly. “I don’t believe I am ready for that big of a change.”

“I’ll have to go, see what all the fuss is about.”

“You might enjoy it more than I did.”

“Will you go with me, if I do go?” She questioned softly as she made her way into her bedroom. “If you want to, that is.”

“I would follow you anywhere, Rose Tyler.”

“Nate? Can I ask you one thing before tomorrow?” Her voice was soft after the brief lull in conversation.

“Anything.”

“Am I your second choice?”

“No.” His reply was quick. “You were never a second choice. You were always my first.”

“Then why end things because you were offered a position in New York? I never would have stopped you.”

“I know. Just as I would never stop you from anything. I was a fool, Rose.”

A few beats later, Rose cleared her throat softly. “I’m still upset with you.”

“I expected nothing less.”

“Thank you for being honest with me, telling me everything.” She paused. “That is everything, yeah?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I need some time to wrap my head around everything but we’ll talk tomorrow.”

“I will meet you out front of the Chelsea.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Sleep well, Rose.” He added quietly, feeling himself relaxing slightly.

“Good night, Nate.”

Rose took great care in her appearance the next day. Part of her wanted to show Nate what he had been missing, but the other part of her wanted to dress to show him she was truly fine. Even if she wasn’t. She chose her favorite blue summer dress and a cream-colored cardigan.

The workday passed slowly, at least to her. Every time she checked her watch, she felt as though only minutes had passed. She understood why she was nervous, why she was on edge, but couldn’t decide if it was because she was excited to see Nate, or if she was nervous. After she finished her shift, she grabbed a taxi and headed over to the Chelsea. He had sent her a message, letting her know he was outside waiting. Nervous, definitely nervous.

She paid the driver when he pulled up before she got out. Smoothing her dress down, she walked over to where Nate was waiting, a soft smile on her face.

“You look beautiful, Rose.” After a bit of awkward shuffling, he placed a gentle kiss against her cheek.

“Thank you.” She pulled the tickets from her bag, trying to hide her blush, and handed them to him. “Sorry we had to post pone until late.”

“Its fine, Rose. They’re open until half five. We can stay until then.”

Nate placed his hand on the small of her back as they walked into the building. While he handed in their tickets, Rose grabbed one of the maps, trying to decide which way she wanted to go first.

“Do you want to circle in here first or one of the other rooms?”

“Here is fine. Unless you would rather go outside first?”

“We can walk around here first.” He held his hand out to her, hoping she would allow him to hold her hand. It had been five weeks, two days, and sixteen hours since he had last held her hand. To his relief, she only hesitated briefly before slipping her hand into his.

His gaze met hers several times as they walked. He listened intently as she raved about some of the displays and her remarks on some of the more eccentric pieces. He knew they had a long road ahead of them, but he was grateful for the time they could spend together. Nate took several photographs of the flowers for her and took one of her when she wasn’t looking. Her smile had been so breathtaking and it forced him to capture the moment.

“I’m glad you didn’t go.” She told him quietly towards the end of their afternoon together. “I know it’s selfish of me.”

“It’s not, Rose. I would have felt the same had the roles been reversed.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

While she stopped in at the ladies’ room, Nate went over to one of the stalls and put together a bouquet of flowers for her. After paying, he walked back over to where he they had parted and waited for her to join him. Their afternoon together had been tense at first, but as they walked around, he could see she started to relax and he too finally allowed himself to relax.

“Those are gorgeous.” Rose commented as she walked up to him. The bouquet had been large and Rose could barely see him behind all of the flowers. “Where are you going with all of those?”

He chuckled softly and pulled the flowers down slightly so he could see her. “I picked these out for you.”

“Really? You didn’t have to do that.” She told him softly as she ran her fingers gently over the petals.

“I wanted to.”

“Then we should head back to mine and get these in water. Unless you have somewhere else you need to be?”

“I am yours for the rest of the evening.”

It had been a quiet ride back to Rose’s as Nate drove them. He had handed her the flowers to hold and was secretly pleased with himself at how thrilled she was with them. When he parked outside of her building, he went around and opened her door before taking the flowers from her so she could get out.

“Would you like to stay?” Rose questioned softly, looking up at him through her lashes. “We could order takeaway for tea.”

“Wonderful.”

She led him into her building and up to her flat while he carried the flowers for her. After they had sorted the flowers into three different vases, she pulled some menus out from the drawer and handed them to him. “Pick what you’re in the mood for.”

“Italian?”

“Sounds lovely.” She confirmed before picking up one of the vases and heading into her bedroom with it. “He definitely went overboard with the flowers, that one.” She mused quietly to herself before rejoining him in the kitchen.

“Half an hour to forty minutes.” He told her after he ended his call. “I ordered your usual.”

“Ta.” Going over to the counter she pulled down a bottle of wine and showed it to him. “Would you like to join me in a glass?”

“Yes, please.”

“Make yourself comfortable in the living room, I’ll bring this out in a mo.”

While Rose had always been the more adventurous one in their relationship, they had balanced each other over the past three years. Nate’s favorite way to spend time with Rose had always been to cuddle up in front of the telly with either a glass of wine, or a mug of tea. Occasionally they would forego the television and he would read to her, or they would listen to music. It never mattered to him what they did, as long as they were together.

“Penny for ‘em?” Rose walked into the living room and over to the couch where he was sitting to hand him his glass of wine. Choosing the other end, she settled in with her own glass, letting out a content sigh.

“I was thinking about all those rainy days we spent together and other days we have spent together.”

“I want to give us another chance, Nate. But I need to learn to trust you again.” She told him softly, wanting him to know while she was still hurt over what happened, she wasn’t as upset as she had been. “I think if we spend more time together like we did today, I can learn to trust you again.”

“Whatever it takes, Rose, I’ll do it.”

Her beaming smile was all he needed to know that he said the right thing.

He helped her to set the table once their food had arrived and they ate in a comfortable silence.

“How was work this morning?” He asked softly as he refilled her wine glass.

“Brilliant. I had a group of kids from one of the schools. They were so intrigued by everything and they couldn’t wait to create something of their own. I love that they can do that. I see so many children with potential. I hope they all go after their dreams.”

“I’m sure with you as inspiration, they will.”

“I miss it.” She admitted. “Painting and everything. I might start again.”

“When was the last time you painted?”

“Five years now, I think. Mum always said I was wasting my time, so I stopped.” She shrugged her shoulders slightly as she took a bite from her food.

“I think you should start again, if you miss it. You wouldn’t be wasting your time. The few paintings you still have are magnificent.”

“Yeah?” She gave him a grin, her tongue poking out from behind her teeth as she tilted her head slightly.

“Yes. We have the local artist fair in six months at the museum. You should paint something for that.”

“I just might.”

After finishing their tea, Rose cleaned up their dishes before joining Nate in the living room. He was looking out of the window and she could see he was hesitating about leaving. While the thought of him leaving did upset her, she knew they couldn’t rush back into things. Not while she was afraid that he would decide to take the job in New York. Taking a few steps, she stood beside him and leaned her head against his shoulder as they watched the rain.

“Will you be at the museum tomorrow?” His voice was soft, as to not break the moment.

“Yeah, I will. You?”

“Yes. If you’re free, perhaps we can have lunch.”

“The chippy?” She questioned, feeling his arm slipping around her.

“Wherever you would like to go.”

“To the stars.” She whispered, thinking back to when they were first dating. She had gone over to his place for tea and they had spent most of their night out in his backyard, looking at the sky through his telescope. It was then she told him of all of the dreams she had, of traveling and seeing the stars. He promised to take her traveling one day to a place where they could see the stars more clearly.

“Soon. I will make good on that promise and we’ll see the stars together.” Nate assures her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Ten minutes later she’s walking him to the door with a quiet promise of seeing him the next day. He leaves after pressing a gentle kiss on her cheek and one last look before walking down the stairs. He remembers all of the Saturday nights they had spent together, desperate for each other’s company. She still had a drawer full of clothes at his place while he knew some of his clothes remained at hers. They had never discussed living together, but as soon as the time was right, he was going to ask her. That much he knew.


	3. The Flowers to Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate plans a surprise for Rose one day after work. It leads Rose to realize she may not be the best match for him. Once he realizes what is on her mind, Nate does his best to assure her that there is no one else for him.

“Are you busy later?” Nate questioned as he walked over to Rose. It had been three weeks since the flower show and they had spent at least a dozen evenings together, trying to repair their relationship. He had been anxious to get back to where they were two months ago and while he wanted to press her, he refrained.

“My shift is over at six tonight. Why?”

“Meet me in my office once you’re off. I have a surprise for you.”

Rose grinned as she leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek. “Can’t wait.”

“I will see you later.” Nate pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before he left the room and headed back to his office. As much as he enjoyed planning surprises for Rose, he was also nervous about her reaction to them. The one time you get the wrong ice cream. Nate shuddered just thinking about it.

She made her way towards Nate’s office a few minutes after six. The past few weeks had been tough, but welcoming. Rebuilding their relationship was taking time and while they no longer argued, Rose could see he was tense at times. She knew it wasn’t anything she was doing, it was simply the situation. They both longed to fall back into where they had been but Rose knew it wouldn’t be a good idea. They both did. But she longed to be able to wake up next to him again and have a lie in with him.

Knocking softly on his door, she waited until he called for her before walking in. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

They both stood there awkwardly until Rose cleared her throat. “Did you need me for something?”

“Oh yes.” Walking over to her, he held his hand out, trying to suppress his grin. “Come with me?”

“Where are we going?” She questioned, slipping her hand into his.

“Close your eyes.” After checking that her eyes were closed, he led her to one of the studio rooms near his office and had her stand in the middle of the room. “I know you’ve talked about painting again and I wanted to help you start again. Open your eyes, my love.”

Rose blushed at the sentiment and opened her eyes, letting out a small gasp. Standing in front of her was an easel along with five blank canvases.

“I wasn’t sure which paint you liked best so I thought we might go together and pick some out.”

“This is too much, Nate.” She gave him a loving smile before stepping forward to run her fingers along the canvases and easel. “Thank you. Really, thank you. I can’t wait to get started.”

“We can go tonight for the paint and whatever else you might need.”

“Brushes.” She told him before turning and throwing her arms around his neck in a hug. No one had been as thoughtful as he had been to her.

He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her closely, breathing in her scent. “I have also reserved one of the studio rooms for you to work in on Sunday, if you’re amenable.”

“I don’t have plans, so yeah that works.” Pulling back she looked up at him. “Will you be able to sit with me?”

“Of course. I shouldn’t be long.”

“Maybe we can spend time together then, after?”

“I think I could arrange that.”

Rose felt the heat of his gaze and ducked her head down as she untangled herself from his arms. Giving a light chuckle she turned around to face the easel. “I didn’t bring my car today.”

“I can drive you home, if you would like.”

“Yeah, that would be nice. Can we stop for the rest of the supplies on the way?”

“Yes, we can.”

Between the two of them, they managed to bring the easel and the canvases to Nate’s car in one trip. Once Rose was satisfied that they were packed correctly, they climbed into the car and headed towards the art store.

Nate had been the one person in her life to ever be truly supportive of what she wanted to do and what made her happy. It ate at her knowing she wasn’t the same person for him. If she were, he would have told her about New York and would have asked her to go. Right? What if she was holding him back? Would he regret her one day?

She was pulled from her inner turmoil by Nate opening her car door for her. Giving him a small smile she slipped her hand into his as they walked into the store. She picked out the paints she needed, already starting to think of what she wanted to paint. Despite her protests, Nate paid for the supplies, citing this was his gift to her.

“I should paint something for your office.” She mused, turning her head to look out of the window as Nate headed towards her flat.

“A Rose Tyler original.” He commented, a content smile on his face.

“Thank you, for encouraging me to take up painting again.” Rose told him softly once he parked in front of her flat.

“You’ve always told me to do what you love. I know you love the museum, but I also know that you love painting. I want you to be happy, whatever you choose to do.”

“I will be.” Rose leaned over and pressed her lips against his briefly before pulling back. “I also want you to do what you love. Don’t let anything hold you back.”

“I am doing what I love Rose. It would have been the same in New York. Your words are what made me see that New York wasn’t the best. I wasn’t happy there.” He promised her, reaching his hand up to cup her cheek.

“You’re supporting me with this, but I don’t feel like I can support you in anything.” She admitted quietly, blinking back the tears that had started to gather.

“Relationships come with give and take, Rose. Right now, I’m giving you the support you need. I might not need your support right now, but one day, I will need it.” Nate spoke softly as he looked into her eyes. He could see the hesitance reflected in them and he tried to gather his thoughts so she would realize that she was enough for him. “How many tough nights at the museum did you help me with? When I need to make a decision, I go to you. You support me far more than you realize.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

They stayed in the car for a few minutes, taking in each other’s presence. She had missed him and it was clear to her now that he missed her. Nate helped her to bring her art supplies up to her flat and after they were stored away in the living room, he stuffed his hands into his pockets, waiting for her to make the next move. Overstaying his welcome was the last thing he wanted to do, but after the past few hours, he didn’t want to leave.

“Do you want to stay for tea? I don’t have much but I can find us something.” Rose questioned as she made her way over to him.

“Yes, that would be wonderful.”

Rose headed into the kitchen and rummaged around in her refrigerator for something she could serve. “Salad.” She mumbled to herself as she pulled out what she needed.

Nate walked into the kitchen a few minutes later and helped her to make the salads. They moved around the kitchen seamlessly, so in tuned with the other that it would appear to an outsider that everything was fine between them. While they both knew in the end it would be, Rose needed to learn to trust him again.

“How is the restoration you’re working on going?” Rose glanced up at him as they ate, wanting to know what was going on in his life.

“I’m almost done. I can show you, if you would like.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.” She gave him a wide grin before looking down at her plate again.

“How are the tours going?”

“They’re lovely. I love seeing the looks on the kids’ faces when they’re learning. Saturdays are always the busiest. I think they’re going to add someone else so we can have more tours.”

Nate reached over and slipped his hand over hers. “I would like to see the museum from your eyes one day.”

“Join in on one of the tours and I’ll show you. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

After their dishes were cleaned up, Rose invited him to stay and watch telly with her. They started off on opposite ends of the couch before Rose moved over and cuddled against his side twenty minutes later. It would take Nate another ten minutes before kissing her and another twenty before Rose reminded him about the movie they were watching. With a shared laugh, Rose cuddled against his side once more, where she stayed for the duration of the movie. When the movie was over, he looked down to see she was fast asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he turned the television off and pulled a blanket over the both of them before closing his own eyes. It had been almost two and a half months since they had fallen asleep like this. When Rose woke the next morning, she let out a quiet laugh before letting her eyes close again. Hopefully they wouldn’t be too late for work.


	4. The Flowers of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nate gets jealous when someone else flirts with Rose. While Rose understands he wants to look out for her, she reminds him she can take care of herself.

Rose knew when Nate showed up at the museum she should have hesitated when deciding to give him a second chance. But she let her heart make the decision for her and let him back into her life. The past month had been wonderful. Almost. She had missed seeing him every day as they had been, before the break up. Now they were lucky if they met up twice a week. She had been so busy with work and her painting that Nate had been metaphorically pushed to the side. He would stop in if she was painting in one of the studios in the museum or she would find him in his office late at night. They would drag the other out of the building and find somewhere for them to have tea together. Things weren’t back to being official between them and Rose wondered if that had to do with why she was so hesitant about being with him.

Actually, the hesitancy stemmed from Nate being an arse, she thought as she dragged him up to her flat. She had found him outside of the museum mid-fight with one of the blokes from archive. Adam something. Unlocking the door, Rose let him into her flat first before following. Closing the door behind her, she left him in the living room as she went to her bathroom for the first aid kit. She hadn’t spoken to him since she broke up the fight. She had been surprised by his behavior. He wasn’t one for violence. A lover, not a fighter, he always joked to her. She walked back over to him and gestured for him to go into the kitchen. After he was settled on the bar stool, she started to clean his hand.

It wasn’t until she was finished with his hand and working on his face that she spoke. “What got into you? You’ve never started a fight, or been in one, since I’ve known you.”

“I didn’t appreciate how he was looking at you. You two were flirting!” He huffed, wincing slightly when she cleaned the cut above his eye.

“I wasn’t flirting with him, Nate. He asked me a question that was it. I don’t even know him. Besides you have no right to say who I can flirt with or not.”

“We’re together, I think I have some sort of right.”

“You haven’t asked me out again, Nate. Just because we’re talking and going out together, doesn’t mean we’re together.” She placed a plaster above his eye before tilting his head up to clean the cuts on his chin.

“You’re right.” He admitted quietly. “I shouldn’t have assumed we were together without asking you. May I ask you out properly once you’re done cleaning my face up?”

“Maybe.” She turned his face and wiped the blood from the cut by his temple. “You’re lucky you weren’t seriously hurt. You’re also lucky that Adam won’t press charges.”

“How do you know his name?” He winced when she pressed into temple.

“He introduced himself. He may have been flirting with me, but I wasn’t flirting with him. The only bloke I want to flirt with is currently in my kitchen having me clean his face.”

“I’m sorry, Rose. You have every right to be upset with me.”

Pulling back, she tilted his head down to check to see if he had any more cuts on his face. “I’m upset because you could have been seriously hurt. I know you were only looking after me, but I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can. It’s one of the things I love most about you.”

“You better.” Putting down the swab she was using, Rose stepped back to look at his face. “You’re going to have a black eye for a few days. Are you dizzy or anything?”

“Slightly. I think I may have hit my head on the way down.”

“Go sit on the couch. I’ll get something for your eye.”

Nate stood up and placed his hands on her waist. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“You’re the only one I want, Nate. You need to remember that.” She told him softly, leaning up to brush some hair from his face.

“I will. Will you join me on the couch?”

“Yeah, as soon as I get something for your eye. I’ll get you something for the headache I’m sure you’ll have soon.”

As Nate settled himself on the couch, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He felt Rose press a water bottle into his hand and some pills in his other hand before she sat next to him on the couch. He felt her hand run through his hair as she placed the bag of frozen peas on his eye. “Thank you.”

“No more fights, yeah?”

“No more fights.” He promised before tossing the paracetamol in his mouth and taking a sip of water.

“Can you stay tonight? I want to keep an eye on you. I think I have some of your pajamas here.”

“I don’t have work tomorrow, so yes, I can stay.”

“This will be the first day off we have together in a while.” She mused as she turned on the telly.

“Can we spend it together? And many more?”

“Was that your way of asking me out again?”

“Yes.” He opened his one eye and looked at her. “Will you be my girlfriend?”

“It still sounds weird when you say it. But yeah, I will.” She bent down and pressed her lips to his gently, avoiding the cut on his lip.

Later that night as Rose got ready for bed, she peeked out into the living room to see what Nate was doing. She had given him pajamas to change into and had given him sheets for the couch when he asked. She hesitated before handing over the sheets, wanting to keep an eye on him as he slept. Once she was dressed, she made her way into the living room and over to the couch to check up on him.

“Do you need anything?” She questioned softly, running her fingers through his hair gently. “Are you sure you’ll be fine on the couch?”

“I’m fine, Rose. I’ll try to keep the noise to a minimum if I can’t sleep.”

“You can wake me up. I know sometimes you just like to talk if you can’t sleep.”

“You need your rest.” He reminded her, giving her a tired smile.

“So do you. I’ll be in my room if you need me. Help yourself to anything.” With one last smile, she headed towards her bedroom.

“Rose, wait.”

“Yeah?” She turned around and looked at him, a smile on her face.

“Goodnight. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight. Sleep well, Nate.” She ducked her head down and walked back into her room, closing the door gently behind her.

When Rose woke the next morning, Nate was quietly opening the door to her room, carrying a tray with him. Letting out a small yawn, she sat up and ran a hand through her hair before giving him a small smile. She hadn’t heard him during the night, which meant either he slept through the night, or he just laid there. She hoped it was the former.

“What’s all this?”

“Thought we could have breakfast in bed.” He told her as he placed the tray over her lap.

“What time is it?” She questioned before glancing at her alarm clock. “It’s only seven.”

“Yes, sorry. I’ve been up since half five. We both went to bed quite early.”

“It’s all right. Thank you for making breakfast. This looks brilliant.” Rose patted the spot next to her for him to sit. “What are you doing the rest of the day?”

“I’m not sure. What did you have planned?” Nate pressed a kiss to the top of her head before sitting on the bed next to her.

“I was going to paint. I wouldn’t mind company, if you want to stay.” She suggested shyly before biting into a piece of toast.

“I would like that, very much. Do you have everything that you need?”

“Yeah. I’m almost done. I have a few changes to make but I would like you to see it.”

“I’m sure it is wonderful, Rose. I can’t wait to see it.”

After they finished breakfast, Rose carried the tray into the kitchen as Nate walked behind her. She had checked the cuts on his face and his eye. He had assured her he was no longer feeling dizzy but was in some pain. She sent him to take a shower while she cleaned up and once he was out, she placed new plasters on his face after cleaning his cuts.

“Feeling any better?”

“Slightly. Could I put some more ice on my eye?”

“Yeah. I have an ice bag, can give you that to use.” She bit her lip as she cupped his face in her hands to tilt his head up again.

“I can get it, Rose.”

“I’m up. Did you at least get a good swing at him? By the time I got to you, you were already on the ground.”

“I think so.”

Rose chuckled softly as she let go of his face. She opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it before moving around to find the ice bag. After filling it with ice, she handed it to him. “Please promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I promise you, Rose. I have the most important woman in the world back in my life. I will do anything to keep her in it.” Putting the ice bag down, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her slowly. He had missed her, missed her touch, her love. Everything. Pulling back he looked into her eyes. “I do love you. I know my actions might not have shown that. But I do.”

“I know. I love you too, Nate. I know you only wanted the best for me. But next time, talk to me. I’m the only one that knows what’s best for me.” Seeing his look she laughed softly. “Most of the time.”

“I will always ask for your opinions, my love.”

She wrapped her arms around him in a hug before burying her face against his neck. She hoped he would keep his word. She didn’t want to go through his again. She wouldn’t.

 


	5. Flowers for the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose displays her first set of paintings while Nate tries to ease her nerves by assuring her everything will be fine. It's during her show that he realizes what he could have lost and how important Rose is to him.

“There is nothing to worry about, love.” Nate watched as she paced back and forth in front of his bed. The gallery opening was the next day and while he knew everyone would love her paintings, she hadn’t been as sure. “Everyone will be as impressed as I am with your work.”

“You have to say that.” She mumbled, coming to a stop at the foot of the bed. “What if no one bids on them?”

“Someone will bid on them.” He assured her. “If not, we’ll hang them in my office. Or here. We’ll find a spot for them.” Nate pulled the blanket back and patted the space next to him on the bed. “Come sit, you need to relax.”

Letting out a sigh, Rose climbed onto the bed and settled in next to him. “I’m sorry. I’m just nervous.”

“Nothing to apologize for.” He pulled the blanket over her and wrapped an arm around her. “Can I do anything to help you? I can make you some tea.”

“I’m fine. I’m glad we brought the paintings over to the museum today.” She mused, resting her head against his shoulder. “I would have been awake all night looking at them.”

“I checked all of them before we left. There were no scratches and I found someone I trust to hang them in the display.”

“I’d be lost without you.” She whispered softly, nuzzling her nose against his cheek.

“You would be fine without me.” Nate turned his head and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Though, I’d much rather not go through that again.”

“You won’t, as long as we’re honest with each other.”

“There is something I have been meaning to ask you.” He admitted, quietly, a few minutes later. “I thought perhaps you could move in with me. We can turn one of the spare rooms into an art room for you.”

Rose sat up and looked at him, her eyes scanning his face for any doubts. “How long have you been wanting to ask me?”

“Several months. After seeing your paintings, I wanted to give you a space you could call your own to create even more paintings.”

“I will then. Only if you’re sure.”

“I am very sure, Rose. I want to wake up every morning and have your face be the first one I see.” He leaned forward and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She laughed softly and hugged him tightly, pressing her cheek against his chest.

Nate met Rose at the museum the next evening a few minutes before the gallery opened. They had used one of the large display rooms for the displays. Aside from Rose’s paintings, there were five other new artists on display. Walking over to her, he pressed a kiss to her cheek before handing her the flowers he brought for her. She had been nervous all day and had to stop her several times from going into the display room.

“Thank you.” She slipped her arm around his waist as she hugged him.

“Anything for you, Rose. Are you feeling better now?”

“Yeah, a bit. It’s now or never, yeah?”

“Everyone is going to love your work, my love. Let’s walk around. They say an artist shouldn’t stand near their work. They’ll let us know if someone is looking for you.”

Letting out a breath, she nodded her head softly as she slipped her hand into his. “These flowers are beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you.”

Rose laughed softly, giving his hand a squeeze. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.”

“Yes, you would have. I’m just here for the ride, as you say.”

She smiled softly at him before tugging on his hand, signaling him to follow her. She had meant it. She never would have had the courage to start painting again had it not been for him. While they stopped to look at some of the other paintings, Nate kept glancing over to where Rose’s paintings were displayed and was pleased to see quite a few people were stopping to admire her work.

“How long are we staying?” He questioned as they sat down in two of the chairs that were in the room.

“The show is over at half nine. I’ll need to stay until then. Will you stay with me?”

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

By the end of the show, all of Rose’s paintings had been sold, much to her own surprise. She never thought anyone aside from Nate, would be fascinated enough with her paintings to buy one. Rose packed up her paintings and handed them off to their new owners while he walked around. She had two left and as she wrapped them, noticed that the purchaser was Nate. Looking up at him, she frowned slightly before handing them over.

“If you wanted them you should have said. I would have marked them as not for sale.”

“I was tempted to buy them all, but settled on just two.” He took them from her and handed her back her flowers.

“Where will you put them?”

“One in my office. The other I thought would look nice in the kitchen. The one with the flowers, I think.”

“I used the flowers you got me at the show for inspiration. I had photographed them and when I was stuck, I knew I had to use them.”

“I’ll have to get you more if they’ll give you inspiration.”

She gave him a grin. “It was more than that though. They were a new beginning.”

“Is that where you got the title?”

“Yes. Thought it seemed appropriate.”

They left the museum by ten and Nate drove them back towards his house. Their house. She had agreed to stay there while they packed up her flat. Thankfully she didn’t have much and knew the move wouldn’t take long. He was so proud of her, of the work she did. Her work had been what drew him to her in the first place. He had heard of how well she was with the kids and had watched her one morning while she led them on a tour. When he had inquired about her with others on the staff, he had heard nothing but wonderful comments. As he got to know her more and more, he realized Rose could be the person with whom he could spend the rest of his life. Over three years had passed since that moment and he still felt the same way.

“What’s on your mind?” Rose questioned as she walked into the kitchen with the painting he had wanted to hand there. “You’ve been quiet since we left.”

“I only have you on my mind.” He gave her a grin as he took the painting from her. He had already put the nail in the wall and all that was left was to hang it. Seeing her nod he hung the painting up, the grin on his face widening. He stepped back and pulled Rose to stand with him as they looked at it.

“I’m not letting you pay for the paintings you bought. It wouldn’t be fair.” She reminded him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“What if I bought you additional supplies? Would that be acceptable?”

“Only if you’ll allow me to paint something else for you.”

“Anything you want to.”

“I’ll surprise you.” Rose promised him before kissing him gently. “Ready for bed?”

“You go on. I’ll be up in a moment.”

“Don’t be too long.” With one last look, she left the kitchen and headed upstairs into their bedroom. She had been hoping for many months that he would ask her to move in with him, at least before everything happened. Glancing over at their bed, she let out a happy sigh. She would get to spend all of her nights in his arms, finally feeling as though she truly belong there. She was brought from her musings when Nate brought her flowers into the bedroom and set them on her nightstand.

“I wasn’t sure where you wanted these and I know you like having flowers in your room.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

After changing into her pajamas, Rose climbed into the bed and leaned against the headboard as she waited for him. Glancing over at the flowers, she plucked the note out, not realizing there had been one. As she read his words, she gasp and placed her hand over her mouth.

_Will you do me the honor of being my wife?_

Nate watched from the bathroom door and walked over to her as she read the note. Hearing her gasp, he knelt down in front of the bed, a ring held between his thumb and index finger. “Will you?”

Rose looked at him as she nodded quickly, too stunned for words.

He stood and slipped the ring on her finger before placing a kiss to the back of her hand. “I have loved you for three years and will continue to do so for the rest of my life.”

Letting out a watery chuckle she knelt on the bed in front of him. “That’s quite a long time.”

“I may need you to keep me in line, make sure I keep my promise.”

“I accept.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed a kiss to his lips. “So long as you’ll allow me to love you for the rest of my life.”

“You’ll have no complaints from me.” Nate wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

“We’ve had an exciting few days, yeah?” She whispered a few minutes later. “Wouldn’t trade any of it for a moment.”

“Neither would I love, neither would I.”


End file.
